In an effort to increase the functionality and versatility of the present material handling equipment, many added features and options have become available. While offering a full range of options has found considerable commercial success, the control linkages for such options sometimes require an excessive operating throw of the control lever from the neutral position. Because it is desirable to avoid undue cluttering of the operator's area in material handling equipment and unnecessary waste of limited control panel space, providing control devices which are compact and easily operated is particularly important. Controls which are responsive to operator input and which do not require excessive manipulation by the operator enhance the efficiency of work operations, and are less fatiguing for the operator.
Numerous control linkages have been employed for controlling independent functions of material handling equipment. Typically, these control linkages incorporate a single control lever movable in forward and rearward linear directions from a neutral position. This type of two-position selective movement from a neutral position is desirable for operating many of the reversibly operable mechanisms associated with material handling equipment, such as loader buckets, crawler or wheel drives, and the like. However, forward and rearward linear lever movement from a neutral position frequently requires a relatively large amount of room to provide sufficient lever throw for easily controlling the operating lever of such a linkage.
Thus, in view of the shortcomings of control linkages heretofore known in overcoming problems of limited control panel space, it is desirable to provide a control linkage assembly having an operating lever selectively movable from a neutral position along one of two paths of travel each of which extend in the same general direction from the neutral position for providing dual state or reversible control of the different operating mechanisms associated with material handling equipment.